Home Health Caregiver -Careful Selection is Key for a Positive Experience – Part One
Enjoy a simple walk outside!
You have finally made the decision to call a home health care giver. That decision was difficult enough, but now you face some other very serious uncertainties. Your loved one, a very vulnerable person, will be cared for in their own private space by a home health care giver who may very likely be a total stranger. How can you possibly know if that home health care giver is trust worthy? Will your family member be respected? Will they be treated with the dignity that they deserve? Will your family member even tolerate having someone new enter their household?
Take a deep breath. There are many safeguards available to protect your loved one and make your hiring decision easier. First and foremost, hire your home health caregiver through a reliable professional health care agency. Their employees are highly trained, pre-screened, and well known to the counselor who will guide you through the entire process.
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Home health care givers come in as many different personalities as do members of your family. Some are vivacious and cheerful while others have quiet subdued natures. You may desire a health care giver with a high energy level. Perhaps a slow moving more deliberate person would be better suited to your loved one’s household.
You are intimately familiar with the emotional needs of the person for whom you are arranging care. Ask yourself what kind of friends they have selected in the past. Do they love humor, or is humor merely an annoyance to them? Are they more responsive to an upbeat positive person or to one who is direct and serious? Does your loved one care if someone is cleaning while they are awake? Do they like people who move quickly or someone who settles into a slower paced routine? Do they crave company as well as care, or would they be happier with a home health caregiver who does their job efficiently but remains in the background as much as possible?
Consider making a chart of desirable traits in the home health care giver you will be considering. Include details such as: do they chew gum or smoke should either of these traits be annoying to you or your family member. Include health care concerns and special needs. Take your time. Add to the list as new thoughts occur to you. The following page is an example of such a list.
HOME HEALTH CARE GIVER LIST
Absolute needs:
non-smoker
does not chew gum
does not wear perfume
must be compassionate
cannot wear rings (dealing with fragile skin)
must be prompt
must be physically able to assist in transferring Dad in and out of bed
must have own transportation
must be good communicator
must be patient with repetition (dementia)
Desirable qualities:
cheerful
speaks slowly and can speak loudly (partial hearing loss)
understands diabetes nutrition and can prepare the proper food
can take direction easily
leaves their personal problems at home
likes to play cards and board games
enjoys reading out loud
can transport Dad to the doctor’s office
attends well to details such as medication times, doctor’s appointments
can openly discuss any issues that arise requiring my attention
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A list such as the one above should be welcome by the home health care giver agency counselor. It is a valuable tool in finding exactly the right home health care giver for your very particular needs. Understand that you have a right to be picky. The health of your loved one is, after all, at stake.
Few of us are blessed with unlimited finances, so at the time of your interview with the home health care agency, be honest about the amount of money you can spend on a home health care giver. Utilize your finances wisely by hiring the care giver for the hours that you need help the most. If you want care only while the patient is sleeping, be clear about that need. However, if companionship is most wanted, be certain to have the home health care giver there when your loved one is most likely to be awake.
If modesty is an issue, and bathing or dressing is part of the job, be certain that you ask for a same gender home health care giver. However, should transportation be important, you may be better off with a stronger man rather than with a petite woman.
Be honest about any fears you may be having. The same is true of any fear or discomfort that your loved one may be feeling. All helpful information affords the counselor a better chance of understanding your exact situation. That understanding will increase your chances of finding the right home health care giver.
It is not easy to admit that your loved one may have fits of temper, depression, or unreasonable demands. Trying to hide the situation, however, is unfair to both your family and to the home health care giver. Home health care givers are well trained in spotting and managing behavioral issues. While the situation may be very new and embarrassing to your family, it is undoubtedly well known to the home health care giver.
Need to Contact Us? Use our contact form or call 877-265-9605
Once the home health care giver has arrived, already pre-screened efficiently trained, it is up to you to be open and concise about your expectations and your needs. Do not be afraid of having a detailed list of duties written down for their use. A professional home health care giver will welcome such guidance and will be grateful for the assistance. Have them read the list in your presence and make note of any questions or concerns.
Do not assume that the home health care giver will automatically know what to do once they arrive on the scene. Expecting them to rummage through a stack of pills and know exactly what time each is to be taken is
asking for disaster. Should there be any conditions, such as, “Dad has trouble swallowing a whole pill. Would you kindly see to it that these pills are cut in half before you give them to him? And you should know that he cannot drink any milk products with this medication.” End of part 1. This article concludes in Part 2.
